England v Brazil: Ashley Cole will richly deserve his 100th cap - he is the perfect player at both end of the pitch

If you win one international cap, it does not necessarily mean you are a great
player. If you win 10, the jury might still be out. There are even those who
have played over 20 times for their country who you could look at and say
they are no more than decent. Once you have reached 100, there is no
argument.

Ashley Cole will deservedly enter the ranks of the true England greats when he reaches his milestone against Brazil this week.

Cole is the definition of the perfect full-back, and in many ways he is something of a footballing freak – a complete player. Full-backs tend to be easily separated into two categories, very good at one end of the pitch but a bit suspect at the other.

There are those who defend well but offer very little going forward, and there are others who get up and down the touchline quickly enough and offer your attackers plenty of support, but tend to leave you exposed defensively. Every manager is looking for the perfect amalgamation of both because every manager is looking for the next Ashley Cole. Such players are unusual.

Cole has mastered the art of attack and defence to the point where there is no visible weakness in his game. First and foremost, he is a quality defender – that is an area of his play which has vastly improved since his early days at Arsenal – but it is the apparent ease with which he patrols the touchline at both ends which distinguishes him from his peers.

What is impressive is he shows no signs of decline at the age of 32 because in normal circumstances you would expect him to have reached the kind of territory where he would have to start modifying his game.

I know from personal experience as a defender how, when you are younger, you feel comfortable trying to get forward and join the attack because you are confident you will have the energy to get back into position. After I had hit the age of 30, I would rarely cross the halfway line and wanted to focus solely on my defensive duties.

The speed and fitness levels Cole continues to display are a tribute to his professionalism, both in terms of how he trains and how he looks after himself. As you get older, the slightest slip in how you are eating or training will punish you, so Cole’s off-field schedule to keep him in shape must be impeccable and an example to all those who work alongside him.

These are the hidden qualities footballers rarely get credit for when we see how they are performing week in, week out, but in many respects it is the fact Cole continues to play as if he is still in his mid-twenties that is so impressive.

So good has he been recently, it would seem he has even forced Chelsea to reconsider their own policy regarding contracts for players in their thirties as they offered him a new deal.

Had Cole been allowed to leave Stamford Bridge at the end of the season, you can be certain a top Champions League club would have signed him. He has been Chelsea’s most consistent player in a hit and miss team. It was no surprise to see Manchester United regularly linked with a move for him when it looked like he would not get a new contract at Chelsea.

In 2006, Cole formed part of what everyone called the ‘Golden Generation’ of English footballers, who it was hoped would perform better in major international championships.

Because that never materialised, it is often suggested perhaps those players were never as good as was suggested. But this is not the case.

When you look at the careers of players such as Cole, Steven Gerrard, Frank Lampard, John Terry and Wayne Rooney, you ask yourself where could they have played had they decided not to stay in the Premier League? In all their cases they could have signed for Real Madrid, Barcelona or any of the world’s major overseas clubs.

Cole definitely fits into that category. He would have been perfect for the all-conquering Barcelona side of recent seasons, his natural athleticism and ease on the ball arguably making him the best left back in the world.

Given his lack of injuries – another invaluable quality – he is capable of going on for another three or four years. What will really extend his career as a left back, however, is the fact he is an excellent defender.

When the time comes and his speed starts to decline, Cole will stop bombing forward so much and concentrate solely on defence.

He may earn his 100th cap on Wednesday, but if it is his desire he could comfortably go past Peter Shilton’s record of 125.